Method of and apparatus for assembling members



July 17, 1928.

J. w. FAY

.mnon OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS Filed Sept. 10. 1926' 2Sheets-$heet //71/e/77or \MlllllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIQI jig/WE? July'17, 1928.

J. w. FAY

usrwon OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS 2 Sheets-Sheet FiledSept. 10, 1926 Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WILLIAM FAY, or VILLA PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO WESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or newvMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING MEMBERS.

Application filed September 10, 1926. Serial No. 1347-16.

1 panion wires or rods for the worker to manually select theseindividual members from supplies thereof and insert the end of the rodwithin the aperture of a companion spherical member. Thus, for example,this process has been followed in some cases in the production oftelephone ringer clapper-s which comprise a rod with a spherical headmember mounted atthe end thereof and which form a part of the telephonesignaling or ringing apparatus. After these parts have been thusassembled, the clapper head is then securelyfastened or swaged on therod.

The object of this invention is to provide a method of and apparatus forfacilitating and expediting the assembling of apertured members withcompanion members.

To attain these and other objects and in acem'dance with the generalfeatures of the invention. the improved method contemplates imparting toan apertured spherical member a rotary or rolling motion of such acharacter as to present all portions of its surface to the end of a rodheld in a relatively fixed position to insure the registration oftheaperture and the rod end. Thereafter the assembled parts may be securedtogether by swaging or otherwise. An apparatus embodyin the inventionand which may be used to advantage in practicing the improved methodcomprises an oscillating member frictionally engaging a plurality ofapertu red spheres positioned over the upper ends of rods in individualrecesses or depressions in a rotatable carrier to roll the spheres.

Thus, various portions of the surface of each spliereare presented tothe associated rod until registration of the aperture and the rod endiseti'ected when the sphere disengages the oscillatory member. The cangaged sphere and rod are then advanced to a position where they aresecuredtogether by swaging by aconventional punch press.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawings illustratlng oneeu'ibodiment of the invention in an apparatus which may be en'iploved inpracticing the method, and wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of an assmbling apparatus; 7

Fig. 9. is a side elevational View of the apparatus with the hopperthereof shown partly in section and supplied with clapper heads; i i VFig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the apparatus takenon the line 3+3 of Fig. 1; i i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sec tional view taken on the line e lof Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. l disclosing the intermittent stop mechanism; and Fig.(3 is an elevational view of an assenibled ringer clapper which isrepresentative of the type of article adapted to be assembled by theapparatus.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numeralsare employed todesignate similar parts throughout the various figures, a horizontallydisposed base whicli supplies a mounting for the almaratus is adapt edto be mounted upon the bed of a conventional punch press in any suitablemanner such as by screws (not shown) inserted through openings 11provided at opposite sides of the rearwardly extending portion of thebase *(Fig. 1). One end of the base 10 supplies a mounting for a drivingmechanism denoted generally by the numeral 13 and a hopper supportingframe arm 14. while the other end of the base supports a rotary carrieror indexing mechanism 15.

The indexing mechanism 15 includes a horizontal indexing plate 17 whichisrotatably mounted and supported at the upper end of a bearing member18 extending upiii with a longitudinal bore which terminates at itsupper extremity in a depression or recess 26 (Fig. 3). The bore 25 isadapted to receive a rod or stem portion 25% oi. a. ringer clapper 29 otthe type disclosed in Fig. 6 and the depression 26 is designed toreceive an apertured spherical, clapper head 30. The lower extremity ofeach holder '33 is provided with a screw 32 and interposed between thescrew 32 and a. cylindrical insert 33 is a coil spring 34-. \Vhcn thestem 28 is lodged within the bore :25, the lower end thereof will restupon the insert 3321111! the upper end will extend into the depression26 in supporting relation with respect to its associated head member 30.Marginal ratchet teeth 36 are formed on the underside of the indexingplate 17 and are designed for cooperation with an intermittent stopmechanism 37 (Fig. 5), later to be described.

The driving mechanism .13 includes a drive shaft 39 (Fig. 1) which maybe operatively connected with a suitable driving source (not shown) suchas a propelling element of a punch press with which the assemblingapparatus isadapted to be associated. The drive shaft 39 is mounted inupright bracket n'ieinbers l0 and a worm l1 carried by the shaft 39engages with a companion worm wheel -12 horizontally disposed above thebase it) and mounted upon a vertical shaft: 44. Mounted upon thisshaftl-l at. a position above the worm wheel L2 a pinion gear whichmeshes with a companion gear 46 carried by a vertical shaft do andpositioned adjacent the indexing plate driving gear 22. It is to beunderstood that the driving shaft 39 may be continuously rotated whilethe assembling apparatus is in use. [he gear 46 continuously transmitspower to the driving gear which is rotatably mountedupont the shaft 48and which is provided with a fibrous friction disk 49 which is held inengagement with the gear l-t' through the action ot a coil spring 50disposed beneath. and engaged with the driving gear 22 (Fig. 3).

An oscillatory device positioned immediately above the indexing plate 17includes a. horizontally disposed tongue. member 52) which is pivoted atone extremity upon the upper endol the vertical shaft 19 and is providedwith a transverse slot 55 at its opposite extremity (Fig. A). Thistransverse slot 55is traversed by the vertical shalt 5 S and serves topermit of the oscillation of the tongue 53 within certain limits.glidably mounted upon the tongue 53 is a segmental oscillatory meuiber56 which is formed with a central body portion 57 slidably engaging withthe tongue 53 and a. pair of integral oppositely disposed segmentalplates in extending laterally therefrom. One end of the body portion 57of the oscillatory mcmher 56 engages with an eccentric (it) carried bythe shaft; 48, and it will be obvious that the rotation of thiseccentric (it) will impart an oscillatory swinging motion to the tongue53 and a combined swinging and reciprocating movement to the segmentalmember an. Suitably secured to the underside of the segmentaloscillatory member at) is a lacing oi rubber or other suitable materialtil, the lower surface of which lies immediately adjacent: to the uppersurface of the index ing plate 1.7 and the upper open ends of therecesses 26 ot' the holders :23. Referring to Fig. .l wherein a ringerclapper stem 2b is shown in position within a holder 2b andan apertureilspherical head is engaging the upper end of the stem, it will heunderstood that the oscillatory and circular movement of the rubberfacing til engaging with the upper suriace portion ot' the sphericalhead ill) will cause the head. to rotate within the depression 26. Atsome point during this rotation of the clapper head lit) the apertureformed therein will be carried into registration and engagement with theupper end of the clapper stem which projects up wardly into the bottomof the recess 2b.

'lo supply the spherical clapper heads ill) to the dt-pressions :56 ahopper mechanism (3 is provided (Figs. 1 and 2) which comprises acylindrical container (3-1; which is secured to the upper end of avertical shaft (35 mounted within a hearing member (37 lormcd at theextremity ol the 'l'rame arm l-lmounted upon the base 10. The bottom ofthe container 64- is provided with a plurality ol' spaced concentricallyarranged appertnrcs (3!) which upon the rotation ol' the container areadapted to successively register with a companion opening 71 (Fig. 2)provided in a. lined dislcv member T2 suitably secured to the upper endof the bearing (37. This opening This connected with a conduit or pipe73 which serves to direct clapper heads 30 entering the opening 71 intosup wrtcd position within the depressions :Zt oi' the holders 23. 'liherotation of the container (S-l is occasioned through the o eration of alargegcar H carried at the lower end of the shall (35 which engages witha pinion gear 75 keyed to the sha'l't is. It to be noted that the framearm ll also supplies an upper bearing support for the shalits ll and.

as well as a support for the hopper mechanism (33.

The intermittent stop mechanism 37 is located upon the rcarwardlextending portion of the base It) and includes a pawl Ti (Fig. :3)pivotally mounted upon a block 7 supported by the base it). The pawl T7is adapted to he held in engagement with the marginal ratchet teeth 36of the indexing plate 1? through the action of a spring I'll. a trippinglinger 81. which may be secured in any suitable manner to thereciprocatory U in too

slide of a press (not shown) is designed to momentarily disengage thepawl. This momentary disengagement of the pawl will take place duringthe upward movement of the tripping linger 81. which permits thelrictlonall y driven driving gear :22 to impart a artial rotation to theindexing plate 17. ice the pawl '77 again engages with the nextfollowing ratchet tooth 36 the indexiug plate 17 will remain stationaryfor a period which is sufficient in duration to permit of a swaging orother suitable operation for afiixing a clapper head with an associatedstem 28. i

To eject the assembled clapper heads subsequent to the swaging, anair-pressure device 82 is provided which operates to project a stream ofair into the bore 25 of a holder 23 through, an inclined opening 83(Fig. provided therein. The air pressure is sufiicient to dislodge theassembled members from the holder and to force them upwardly therefrom,and this ejecting operation takes place during the dwell of the indexing plate 17 occasioned by the engagement of the pawl 77 with theratchet teeth thereof.

In the operation of the apparatus a supply of apertured clapper heads isplaced ithin the hopper container 64 and rotation is imparted to thedrive shaft 39 from any suit able source of power. Rotation of the shaft39 causes the rotation of the gear 46 on the shaft 48 through the piniongear meshing therewith, the worm wheel 42 and its companion worm 4:1.lVhen the pawl 77 is momentarily disengaged from the ratchet teeth 36 ofthe indexing plate 17, the gear -16, which is frictionally engaged withthe driving gear l2, imparts a rotary movement to the indexing plate.Successive momentary disengagements of the pawl 77 results in theindexing plate 1.7 being intermittently rotated. The pinion gear carriedby the shaft -18 causes the rotation oi the hopper container (33 throughthe large gear Tl and as the openings 69 in the bottom of the containerregister successively with the opening 7.1 of the stationary disk 7 2the clapper heads 30 are carried by gravity into the pipe 73 whichdirects them to the depressions 26 in the holders 23 as said depressionsare carried into position beneath the lower tip of the pipe 73. Thedirection of rotation of l the indexing plate 17 is shown by thedirecinuc to be indexed, the upper exposed surface of each clapper headis carried into frictional engageu'ient with the facing (ll oi? thesegmental oscillating member 5(3. oscillating movement oi? the member 56through the action of the eccentric (it) causes the rotation of theclapper head within the recess This rotating or rolling movement issullicient to insure the presentment of the every portion ot thespherical surhicc to the end of the stem28 and at some point during itstravel beneath the facing .61., the aperture of the clapper head will becarried into registration and consequent ei'igagemcnt with its companionstem by gravitational -force or by the action of the spring at. In thisconnectionit will be ui'iderstood that the coil spring 34. in the bottomof each holder'23 which yicldingly supports an insert 33 provides amovable support to take care of variations in the length oi? the stemsand also supplies a meansqtor forcing the end oi? the stems into theapertures by companion heads. As the clapper members are advanced frombeneath the facing (51 with the apertures of each clapper head ei gedwith a companion stem, a suitable suagmg mechanism (not shown) may beemployed to eil'ectively join the members, this svmging operation takingplace during the dwell oi l the indexing plate. Subsequent to theswaging operation and during the dwell oil the indexing plate theassembled clapper members maybe ejected by any suitable means such asthe air pressure device 82.

Thus it will be api iarent that the appa .ratus described permits thepractice oif a i method of handling clapper l'nenibers whereby thesemembers may be continuously and expeditiously assembled.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. The method oi? assen'ibling an apertured spherical member with acompanion member, which consists in associating the apertured sphericalmember with the companion member, imparting motion to the sphericalmember of such a char cter as to enable the presentation of everysurface portion thereof to the companion member, and discontinuing themotion upon the registration of the aperture with the companion memberwhereby the apertured spherical member is assembled on the companionmember.

2. The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with a rod,which consists The in vertically positioning the rod, resting theapertured spherical member upon the upper end of the rod, rotating thespherical mem ber upon the end of the rod to present vari ous surfaceportions of the spherical member successively to the rod, and causingthe end of the rod to register with the aperture of the spherical memberwhereby they are in assembled relation.

3. In apparatus for assembling an apertured member with a companionmember, means for supporting an aperturecl member and acompanion-member, and means for engaging the surtacciof a supported.apertured member to vary the position thereof with respect: to anothercompanion member whereby the end of the companion member registers withthe aperture in thespherical member and assemblage of the members isefi'ected,

l. In apparatus for assembling an apertnred spherical member with acompanion member, means for supporting an apertured spherical memberwith its surface engaged with a companion member to be assembledtherewith, means for rotating a supported apertured spherical memberwith respect to its companion member whereby the end of the companionmember registers with the aperture in the spherical member andassemblage of the members is effected, and means for actuating therotating means.

5. In apparatus adapted for attachment to the bed of a press forassembling apertured spherical members with companion members, means torsupporting the companion members, means for supporting aperturedspherical members with the surfaces thereof engaged with con'ipanionmembers for assembly therewith, means for rotating the supportedspherical members, and means operable to intermittently advance thesupported members in a predetermined path.

(3. 1n apparatus for assembling apertured spherical members withcompanion members, means having depressions for suppprting aperturedspherical members in engagement with the upper surface of companionmembers extending into the depressions. means for indexing the sup'iorting means. and means for engaging the upper surface portion of asupported spherical member for rotating the member to cause theregistration of the aperture therewith with the companion member.

7. The method of assembling an apertured member with another member,which consists in associating the surface of the apt-r tured member withthe other member, changing the relative positions of the members topresent various surface portions of the apertured member to the othermember, and causing the :nasemblage ol' the aperturi-al member on theother member.

8. The method of assembling an aperturcd spherical member with acon'ipanion member, which consists in engaging the surface of theapertured spherical member with the companion member for assemblytherewith, changing the relative. positions of the members to presentvarious surface portions of the spherical member to the companionmemher, and causing the assemblage ol' the npertured spherical member onthe companion member.

9. The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with acompanion member, which consists in rotating the. apertured sphericalmember associated with the companion member engaging the surface of thespherical member, and causing the assemblage ot the apertured sphericalmember on the companion member.

it). The method of assembling an apertured spherical member with acompanion member, which consists in rotating the apertured sphericalmembe' associated with the companion member engaging thesurface of themember, causing the assemblage oi. the apertured spherical member on thecompanion member, and advancing the asse1nbled members to apredetermined position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25 day of August,1926.

JOSEPH WILLIAM FAY.

